S&W mod. 52-2 What’s it’s purpose

[Creedmoor]

Don’t know yet, he’s due at 5:30. Gonna shot it, then haggle. I’m doing as much reading and research as I can. You guys are kinda helping, but you’re all biased.

I’ll probably end up getting it if he’s not crazy about price. We’ve made several trades over the years some go well some not so much. He’s a rifle guy, me smith revolvers.

You will love it, wonderful pistols.

 

[Creedmoor]

You probably knew this, but one thing to keep in mind - it doesn't just need wadcutters - it needs "flush seated wadcutters." The kind that cost upwards of $70 per hundred rounds these days:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1000192977?pid=136172

If you buy this pistol with the intention of loading it up with the same kind of 158 SWCs you'd use in revolvers, with a portion of the bullet sticking out of the case, it ain't gonna work. It's not a "Coonan in 38 Special." It is a bullseye pistol marketed toward people who were either going to reload _every_ round they shot in it, or else buy Remington or Federal flush-seated match ammo by the case.

It can still be a very fun shooter, as long as you're willing to reload for it or buy what it needs. In that role, it's going to be an expensive substitute for a 9mm 1911, but limited to 5-round mags and with very limited factory ammo choices. If you think a Smith 3rd Gen gun like a 5906 is esoteric - this is a level up from that.

With those caveats, buy away.

Second, as mentioned above: make sure it comes with magazines. This gun still has a following in the Bullseye community, and the magazines are sought-after by the people who have the guns. I don't think you're going to be able to get them from Mec-Gar.

I will say that there is a guy on eBay thats been selling Triple K 52 mags ( yes I know) for years now around 90 bucks a piece. They are not super smooth like Smith mags, but they do work very well. Factory mags seem to be $125-$175 each.
It all makes me glad with what I bought 30 years ago.

TripleK 2174M Magazine for S&W Smith and Wesson 52 38 Special Wadcutter 5 Round | eBay

MFG by: TripleK. Part # 2174M. Magazine for Smith & Wesson Model 52 38 Wadcutter 5 Round. Fits: S&W Model 52.

www.ebay.com

 

[Creedmoor]

What a strange gun. 5+1 capacity in .38 Spc, and just one painfully specific loading? I can just see this thing taking the world by storm back in 1961, replacing police revolvers across the nation.... okay no. not really.

Ive been loading 38 Spec for wad-cutter pistols for over 50 years. I happen to have a dedicated Dillon 550 just for bullseye pistols. So what is this painful specific loading you are talking about?

 

[armalitesheepdog]

Good thing you weren't the target audience, and S&W didn't care what you think.

The 52 was constructed specifically for WINNING. Bullseye, the sport (with a capital "B"), was an area where few countries in the world could best the United States at that time.

Smith & Wesson was one of those at the cutting edge of technological support for Bullseye.

The 52 Wad gun was only EVER intended--from the drawing board up--to punch very (VERY) small groups of .38 holes at 25 and 50 yards. It is a speciality tool for a specialty purpose, and it did (does) complete that mission better than 99.5% of shooters that ever fired one.

If you wonder why it was built, or what purpose it could possibly have, then you're not in the 1/2%.

That's fine, but as it is with many things, an individual human's inability utilize a specialty tool, plan, theorum, etc. is not an indicator of the worth of the thing. By saying it is useless, the critic may actually indicate more about themselves than the tool.

-Nate

Smith&Wesson answer to the 1911 in Bullseye matches?

 

[natdscott]

Smith&Wesson answer to the 1911 in Bullseye matches?

No, the answer for an automatic .38 for centerfire.

The .45 was still required. 9mm Berettas are now admissible as well.

Some people shot (shoot) a .22 LR, AND a low-recoil centerfire like .32, .38 wad, etc., AND the required .45 stage (where 9mm ball is also now allowed, I think).

Those after Distinguished badges, and a few other things, are better to stick with a .22 LR, and use the .45 for both centerfire, and .45 stages. Only learning two triggers is, in some ways, better than three.

 

[Creedmoor]

No, the answer for an automatic .38 for centerfire.

The .45 was still required. 9mm Berettas are now admissible as well.

Some people shot (shoot) a .22 LR, AND a low-recoil centerfire like .32, .38 wad, etc., AND the required .45 stage (where 9mm ball is also now allowed, I think).

Those after Distinguished badges, and a few other things, are better to stick with a .22 LR, and use the .45 for both centerfire, and .45 stages. Only learning two triggers is, in some ways, better than three.

Did you ever shoot one of the 52-9 pistols? I saw a few for sale years back but it just didnt do much for me.

 

[natdscott]

Did you ever shoot one of the 52-9 pistols? I saw a few for sale years back but it just didnt do much for me.

No, but I'd sure give one a try.

That being said, the special badges and glitter you can get with a 52, I have with the A2. Bullseye is a good time, and I feel confident I COULD learn to do it well, but I'm not "there".

Not enough to OWN three specialty pistola. That, and I only load for full house .357, with no real plans to add pistol calibers unless I am loading for a Junior.

 

[Creedmoor]

No, but I'd sure give one a try.

That being said, the special badges and glitter you can get with a 52, I have with the A2. Bullseye is a good time, and I feel confident I COULD learn to do it well, but I'm not "there".

Not enough to OWN three specialty pistola.

I would like to shoot on now, but I wasn't interested when they came out. I remember seeing them at my cousins shop and going wtf?
Adiquit pistol shooter here, I smoked for 35 yrs.
I bought my Colt and SW wad cutter pistols long ago, in the last 20 years I ended up with my Dads and G-Fathers pistols also. We were short one SW 41 and I bought one 5 1/2" mint in box at one of the Tipton shows last year for my Thing 2.
All are just a joy to shoot.

 

[Colt556]

As most of the others have already said the 52 was designed to compete in Bullseye matches. The .38 wadcutter cut perfectly little round holes in the target that were easy to see and score accurately.
Its main competitor was the Colt Mid Range, which was basically a National Match in .38 wadcutter.
I found 2 magazines a couple years ago from the old guy with a zillion tables of magazines and ammo at Stout Field. They were marked $125 each and would not come down one penny! He had them and I needed them so…
I’ve bought jars to find magazines from him before and he and his wife(?) are very nice.
I could use some wadcutters if I ever find any at reasonable prices. In the old timey days you could buy cheap wad cutters for $2-3 a box. But the 52s always deserved the best you could get.
If you pass on it you’ll regret it, and if you do pass on it let us know!!!

 

[92FSTech]

The Model 52 is an amazing gun. Practical...pretty much only if you're shooting Bullseye. But there's something incredible about the mechanical tuning necessary to get a semi-auto to reliably feed flat-faced wadcutters in a rimmed case, and the accuracy that an accomplished shooter can get out of those guns is mind-blowing.

A local shop had a few of them that they got from a police marksmanship team a few months back. I tried really hard to justify buying one, but they were priced just a bit too high and I have other projects in the works that are demanding my money. But I definitely have respect for the Model 52.

 

[Creedmoor]

As most of the others have already said the 52 was designed to compete in Bullseye matches. The .38 wadcutter cut perfectly little round holes in the target that were easy to see and score accurately.
Its main competitor was the Colt Mid Range, which was basically a National Match in .38 wadcutter.
I found 2 magazines a couple years ago from the old guy with a zillion tables of magazines and ammo at Stout Field. They were marked $125 each and would not come down one penny! He had them and I needed them so…
I’ve bought jars to find magazines from him before and he and his wife(?) are very nice.
I could use some wadcutters if I ever find any at reasonable prices. In the old timey days you could buy cheap wad cutters for $2-3 a box. But the 52s always deserved the best you could get.
If you pass on it you’ll regret it, and if you do pass on it let us know!!!

We've all been there, years ago a few of us stopped at an indoor range in Upper Marlboro, Md and they had a 4x8 table of new old stock and as I was going through it I found one factory 52 mag and two or three Colt wadcutter mags. They were marked down to like 14.99 each.
Even back then I was doing The Monkey Dance.
I needed two, 2 tone GI 1911 Colt mags to make one pistol right. I'm not going to say what I paid, but it hurt.

 

[Creedmoor]

The Model 52 is an amazing gun. Practical...pretty much only if you're shooting Bullseye. But there's something incredible about the mechanical tuning necessary to get a semi-auto to reliably feed flat-faced wadcutters in a rimmed case, and the accuracy that an accomplished shooter can get out of those guns is mind-blowing.

A local shop had a few of them that they got from a police marksmanship team a few months back. I tried really hard to justify buying one, but they were priced just a bit too high and I have other projects in the works that are demanding my money. But I definitely have respect for the Model 52.

I will say, it would have been money well spent.

Have you ever seen the magazines of a Colt 1911 in 38 special?

 

[natdscott]

I will say, it would have been money well spent.

Have you ever seen the magazines of a Colt 1911 in 38 special?

FFS, I thought the Pony 9mm SMG mags were bad...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1042607475

That being said, if there's no substitute, and no supply, then you really are over the proverbial barrel.

 

[92FSTech]

I will say, it would have been money well spent.

Have you ever seen the magazines of a Colt 1911 in 38 special?

Yep. A guy at my range has one and I've shot it, as well as his son's model 52. Both are awesome pistols, and both shoot far better than I am capable of.

I do load and shoot a ton of wadcutters, but only in revolvers.

 

[Robert Richardson]

If you get it, don't disassemble it. They can be difficult if you don't pay attention to how it comes apart. Very high quality pistols, not for the average lazy shooter. It will out shoot you and your abilities.

 

[natdscott]

If you get it, don't disassemble it. They can be difficult if you don't pay attention to how it comes apart. Very high quality pistols, not for the average lazy shooter. It will out shoot you and your abilities.

That, and for that era S&W stuff, you really need cup-tip punches for any pins, which most guys dispense with, and end up flattening the heads of everything. Looks amateur, because it is amateur.

 

[Creedmoor]

That, and for that era S&W stuff, you really need cup-tip punches for any pins, which most guys dispense with, and end up flattening the heads of everything. Looks amateur, because it is amateur.

Three words that I learned with buying a MK 2 BB Ruger long ago from Montgomery Wards.
Safety Clean Machine.

If you get it, don't disassemble it. They can be difficult if you don't pay attention to how it comes apart. Very high quality pistols, not for the average lazy shooter. It will out shoot you and your abilities.

 

[Mij]

Well bad luck on my part. I heard 1300 on the phone, then we went to get some ammo to shot it and he saw my 336 and all of a sudden he wanted to trade, strait up. I told him I couldn’t trade but I’d do his original 1300. It’s the only 336 I’ve got and I have plans for it when I’m gone. I said 1400, he said the only way I could get it was a trade for the Marlin. No money at any price, just the 336. I was angry but kept my cool. Don’t know if I lost a friend or not, but right now I don’t think I care.

edit: I’m gonna let him think about it for a bit and give him a call.

 

[Bosshoss]

FWIW Mod 52 mags can be modded to hold 6 rounds and even heard of 7 rounds working.
I did mine to 6 rounds when I was shooting combat leagues in the winter with 6 round strings.
Original mags are probably to valuable to do the mods too now but aftermarket(triple K I believe is doing them) would be ok to mod that way.
Good luck getting the gun OP.

 

[ECS686]

A mentor of mine in the Air Guard was Governors 20 and shot with the Guard team. He said Indiana national Guard had a few Model 52’s they issued for the all guard team back in the mid 1989’s. I’m sure they are king gone. I have a couple boxes of the issue’s Winchester 38 special 148 wadcutter they issued team members for proficiency back in the day.

Interesting gun but sadly this generation won’t appreciate what it was for!